Cornerboards have long been used to support and dress-up the sides and corners of exterior walls of houses, buildings, and similar structures. Such millwork products generally consist of component pieces which are placed over the edges and corners of exterior walls, routinely with two component pieces which form a right angle corner or by use of a one piece, right angled, extruded component overlaying the wall at its corner.
More specifically, cornerboards of wood construction usually employ two separate cornerboard component pieces which are positioned along the edge of and against the exterior corner of a wall. The component pieces each have flat end surfaces which are placed in adjacent contact. The component pieces are then secured to the wall in this position, usually by nailing. Such two piece component construction however, has several significant disadvantages. Since pieces are often times not milled precisely, when they are positioned end-to-end, there inevitably will be some space between the pieces, even after they are secured to the wall. This is unsightly and, over time, the spacing may increase, inviting damage to the pieces. Weather may further affect the corner connection, resulting in further separation and unevenness of the component pieces or cracking of the pieces at this location. Two piece cornerboard installation is also a cumbersome task. The pieces must be squarely positioned against the wall surface and maintained in that position, in order that they may be properly aligned and secured in position.
While synthetic materials, such as vinyl and certain construction plastics, can be extruded to form one piece cornerboard elements, as a practical matter, the use of one piece sections is restricted to this type of material. Wood, which is a most favored material for cornerboard construction, can not practically and economically be manufactured as a single cornerboard piece, so is rarely used in this form. However, wood millwork is generally more economical to manufacture and provides the greatest variety of design at reasonable cost. A means to effectively and economically provide an integral wood cornerboard assembly has, heretofore, not been developed.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of prior cornerboard construction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which provides for a joint connection capable of securely attaching cornerboard millwork components to form an integral, solid and stable, single piece cornerboard.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which uses wood as its fabricated material, but still ensures a secure and solid connection of cornerboard millwork components to form a single piece cornerboard.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which employs a unique interlocking joint to secure cornerboard millwork components.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which provides an interlocking joint connection which securely maintains an integrally assembled cornerboard for ease of proper alignment and installation on wall surfaces.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which provides an integral, piece cornerboard which is economical to manufacture and easy to assemble.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which is durable after installation, and maintains its aesthetic appearance over time, despite the weather elements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cornerboard assembly which can readily and economically be customized, according to size, shape, and design, for ease of manufacture, delivery, and on-site installation.
The objects of the invention are accomplished by a cornerboard assembly comprising an interlocking, opposite direction joint between cornerboard millwork components. Dual male members extend from the end of one of the respective components, forming an opening between the members. The male members and opening formed between the members have planar outer surfaces. The second component comprises an end with a single male member which is configured to be inserted into the opening of the first component. The male member of the second component and the other surfaces at this end also have planar outer surfaces. The planar outer surfaces of the two cornerboards components are configured to be positioned adjacent to each other, in surface to surface contact. An exterior construction glue or similar adhesive is placed on the planar surfaces to fixedly and permanently secure the components.
The result is an integral, single piece, cornerboard assembly which can be economically and easily produced and which may be fabricated of wood components. The bond formed by the interlocking surfaces at the ends of the millwork components creates a solid and secure single cornerboard element which is easy to install, more aesthetically pleasing, and will better withstand weather conditions and result in a longer life.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. However, both as to their design, construction, and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, they are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.